Automatic expanding reel



Nov. 17, 1931. w. A. DONEY ETAL 1,831,343

AUTOMATIC EXPANDING REEL Filed Nov. 20. 1929 Will/4m one LU 1S L, C/aZ/uii INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM A. DONEY Ann ouis Ii. GLAUSIUS, or PORTLAND, OREGON An'romrrc EXPANDING REEL Application filed November 20, 1929. Serial no. 408,553.

Our invention consists primarily of a base having a central spindle upwardly extendingwithin the base that is preferably cylindrical and having a cylindrical hole extending 6 therethrough. Arms are slidably positioned upon the base and are-attached by links to an adjustable spider that is slidably disthereupon that are in registerable alignment with locking notches that are disposed within the sidewall of the spindle. The closure is maintained in spaced relationship with thebase by a compressible element as a coil s rin Knees u wardl extend from the P g P y base and extend throughslots disposed with-,

in the closure and links are adjustably placeable within the base of the knees so that the knees will be crowded outward asthe closure is forced'down upon the compressible element due to the compression of the compressible element. Each of the knees are slidable upon the base within a predetermined path and the free end of each of the knees pass through a slot disposed within the closure.

The primary object of ourinvention is 1ntended for use by electrical workers and others wherein electrical wire, rope, cord,

hose and any and all coiled, or spooled, materials may be placed thereupon and the device be used as a portable support for the maintaining of the materials being dispensed from the reel to maintain the same in usable condition and to prevent the tangling or dissipating of the same as the quantity ofthe material becomes lessened.

In our new and improved device, as the 40 quantity becomes lessened, the engaging side walls of the reel may be forced closer together to thereby make it possible to reel the entire quantity of material from the reel in desired condition or in. quantities as re- '45: quired, the spindle being hollow adapts itself to being supported upon any suitable form of support in any locality where the same is to be used.

A further object of our invention consists 7 in providing simple means that may be actuated without the removing of the reel from its support to lessen the spaced relationship of the base and the closure.

n A still further object of our invention conslsts in providing a collapsible core for the reel that may be made tosubstantially fit a wide range of sizes of coils of materials that are to be placed thereupon andto be unwound therefrom. Y i

A still further object of our invention consists in providing a simple, all-metal construction that will'be long lifed and relatively cheap in first cost.

i \Vith these and incidental objects in View, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combination of parts, the essential elements of which are set forth in the appended claims, and a preferred form of embodimentofwhich is hereinafter shown with reference to the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective, side view of one of a 1 ournew and improved reels shown assembled with a coil of material being disposed thereupon.

i Fig. 2 is a longitudinal, sectional, side elevation of the assembleddevice.

Fig. 3 is a cross section view, taken on 50 line 33 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction indicated. V

Fig.- 4 is a fragmentary, sectional, side view of one of the adjustable knees, the same being taken on line l4= of Fig. 2 looking in the direction indicated.

. Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

We preferably form our device of a base '1 made of metal and having a curled rim 2 disposed upon the outer periphery of the base. The base is preferably circular in plan View. A spindle 3 upwardly extends from the base. A hub 4 is disposed upon the oppositely dis posed side of the base to that of the s indle. The spindle is hollow, as illustrate at 5, through which any suitable supporting mech anism may be'placed. A plurality of knees 6' are slidablydisposed upon thebase. A'slot M 7 is disposed through the base and a Project mo ing guide bar 8 is disposed downward from the base of the knee and extends within the slot. A locking plate 9 is secured to the lug 8 and is disposed in spaced relationship with the base 10 of the knee. A plate 9 is secured indirectly to the knee by any suitable fastening means as by screws, or rivets 11. The spacingof the plate 9 from the base 10 ofthe knee should be suflicient to permit of a free movement of the knee relative to the base,

and to the slot. A spider 1 2iis disposed about the spindle 8 and lugs 13 are disposed at the base of the spider. Connecting-links-M are disposed between the s )lClQI' andthebase. of the respective knees. he link 14' is adapted for placement within the adjusting; holes l5 isposed through the upper portion ofthebase of the knee to, facilitate theplacing of theknee in: spaced relationship with thespindle, to fit coils of different diameter, that.

are tobc jlacedztherea-bout. A closure plate 16 is slida ly positioned about the spindle 3 and slots 17 are disposed. through theclosurethat are placeable in registerable alignment ith the slots 7 disposed within the-base and through which the upper and free end of theknees are made to pass; A compressible ele ment, as a coil -18,rests uponthe spider l2, and. engages the under side 19 of theclosure. When the coil. 20has been placed about the knees, t he closure 17 is then placed about the spindle and forced downward about the; spindle tocompress the compressible element 18. The: compressing of the element 18 presses. the knees outward. toengagethe in.- nor surface of the coil and to expand the same. A plurality of locking latches 21 are to. form. a; reel assembly having uniformlyshaped peripheral edges on the side walls of thereel.

When a coil of material hasbeen. placed] upon theireel, the reelmay then besupported by the passing of any suitable support through the hollow; spindleforming the reel, When it isdesired toremove the closurefromthespindle the same may be unlatched therefromby. the depressing of the locking latches Whiohfpermits of the removal of the closure from the spindle and from the reel: assembly.

While theform of mechanism herein. shown. and" described is admirably adapted to fulfill the objects primarily. stated, it is tobe, understoodithat it is notintended toconfine,

the invention to the one form of embodiment herein shown and described, as it is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What we claim is:

1.v In a device of the class described, the combination; of a base, a hollow spindle disposed centrally of the base, a spider slidably positioned about the spindle, a plurality of slots. disposed within the base, and adjustable knees slidably positioned within the slots, adjustable-linksconnecting the spider with the base of each, of the knees, a compressible element resting upon the spider, a closure plate, 7

having slotsdisposed therein in register-able alignment with the slots disposed through thebaseandjthroughwhichthe freeend of the knees pass, the closure resting upon the compressible element, and meansfor locking the closure. relative to the spindle.

2; In a device of the class described, the combination of a base, a hollow spindle disposed centrally of the base, a spider slidably positioned about the spindle, a. flexible element resting upon-the. spider, a plurality of knees adjustably positioned relative to the base, means for imparting an in and outmovement to. the knees by the raising andlowering of the. spiderupon the spindle, a; closure adapted for forming one side of the reel' positionable about the, spindleand resting upon the. flexible element, and locking latches-for fixedly fastening the closure relative tothe spindle.

8. In a. device of the. class, described, the combination of abase, a. hollow. spindle up- Wardly. extending from the central portion of the base, a. spider slidably positioned uponthe.spindle,.a.plurality of knees adjustably positioned upon the base. and means connecting the spider with each of the knees for positioning the same relative to thespindle, a. closure adapted for forming one side of the reel adjustably positionable about the spindle,.a. compressible element disposed. between the, spider and the closure, and, means for fixedly maintaining the closure about the spindle in adjusted placement.

4:. In, a devioeof. the class described, the combination. of a base, a. spindle disposed centrally ofthebase, a; spider disposed about the spindle, a compressible element resting upon: the spider, kneesadjustably positioned. relatiivetothe base, meansfor reciprocablymoving the. knees, a closurefdisposed. about the compressible, element, and locking; means: for fixedly fastening the, closure relative to the spindle WILLIAM A. DONEY. LOUIS L. CLAUSI US. 

